Selfleveling flooring



; July 16, 1935. K.. E. CROOKS v I I 2,008,244

SELF LEVELING FLOORING 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 July 16, 1935.

K. E. CROOKS I SELF LEVELING FLOORING Fiied April 22, 1931 2 sheets-sheet 2 .zaf

Patented July 16, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SELFLEVEIJNG FLOORING Kenneth E. Crooks, Williamsport, Pa. Application April 22, 1931, Serial No. 532,102

"9 Claims. (on. 20-12 This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in flooring, the object being to provide a self-leveling floor which will eliminate scraping, sanding and finishing after being laid, thereby permitting the staining, filling, varnishing or waxing of thefiooring at the factory.

Another object of my invention is to provide a floor which is adapted to be laid in cement, such as mastic, having tongue and groove abut ting edges, the groove being formed substantially V-shaped and the tongue with converging inclined faces, the portions of the floor above the tongue and groove being cut on a slight angle or beveled so that the point of contact between the abutting upper edges of the flooring members has a very small contact surface whereby the wood is allowed to be compressed so as to form an exceedingly tight joint between the abutting flooring members.

Another object of my invention is to provide a flooring in which the flooring members are provided with clearance between the abutting edgesof the floor blocks below the tongue and groove, which edges are rounded so that when the blocks are laid in mastic or any other suitable cement and are forced together, the mastic or cement will be prevented from being wedged between the adjacent faces of the blocks to such an extent as to prevent the blocks from being moved into proper position so as to produce a self-leveling floor.

Another object of my invention is to provide a flooring in which the area of contact between the abutting members adjacent their horizontal faces is reduced to such an extent that friction and squeaks, if any exist between the adjacent blocks, are minimized.

Other and further objects and advantages of the invention will be hereinafter set forth and the novel features thereof defined by the appended claims.

In the drawings,

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a portion of a'floor constructed in accordance with my invention;

Figure 2 is an enlarged longitudinal section showing the foundation of cement and the sub-- floor;

Figure 2 is an enlarged longitudinal section showing substantially the same construction shown in Figure 2 with the exception that nails are employed for securing the flooring members to the sub-floor in connection with the cement; Figure 3 is a plan view of one form of block; Figure 4 15's plan view of another form;

Figure 5 is a plan view of still another form; Figure 6 is a plan view of another form; Figure 7 is a detail perspective view of a series of flooring strips constructed in accordance with my invention; v 6

Figure 8 is a detail enlarged section; Figure 9 is a detail enlarged section through a slightly modified form showing the edges of the adjacent strips or members rounded; and

Figure 10 is a detail enlarged section through 10 still another modified form in which tongues and grooves are provided with inclined faces so as to produce a self-leveling floor when a series of said membersare assembled in engagement with one another.

In carrying out my invention I form along one edge of one ,of the blocks or strips i a V-shaped groove 2 and along another edge a V-shaped tongue 3,-the apex of the tongue being cut ofi or rounded so that a tongue is formed withconverging inclined faces 4 and 5. Portions of the material from which the blocks are strips are made-above the tongues and grooves are substantially vertical, the same being cut slightly on an angle or beveled from the perpendicular line as shown at 6 and I in order to reduce the area of the contacting surfaces between the abutting edges of the strips as shown at 8 whereby this the flooring can be compressed to a certain extent in order to form an exceedingly tight joint between the two abutting blocks or strips.

The lower vertical portions of the material constituting the strips or blocks below the tongue are cut away as shown at 9 and I0 to leave a clearance between the adjacent strips below the tongues and grooves, these cut away portions being rounded as shown at H and I2 for the purpose hereinafter fully described.

As shown in Figure'2 in laying the blocks or 40 strips a coating of cement, such as mastic, I3 is placed on the sub-floor l4 and these strips are forced together so as to produce a self-leveling flooring, the inclined faces of the tongue riding on the inclined faces of the grooves draws the two crack is practically eliminated.

till

Inv forcing the blocks or strips together, the cement is iorced up into the specs between the erliscent blocks or strips below the tongues and grooves end by forming these with rounded edges iii and it, the blocks ride over the cement when being forced into interlocked position with one another so as to prevent an excessive amount of cement from being forced up into the groove which would prevent the blocks from being forced together in the proper manner to produce the self-leveling feature and the compression feature in order to form a joint between the adjacent block members or strips which will eliminate scraping, sending. or finishing after being laid as these blocks or strips are prefinished by either staining, filling, varnishing or waxing the same before they are assembled.

In Figure l the blocks 8 are provided with grooves on their edges l and i and with tongues on their edges l and i so that these blocks can be assembled in the manner shown in Figure i in order to form a, complete covering for a room an as they are laid in cement, they are firmly held in their proper position after they have been assembled to produce a self-leveling flooring which has many advantages over previous constructed flooring of this kind.

In Figure 4 the block I is provided with tongues El and i along two of their adjacent edges and with grooves i and I along the other two edges which enables the blocks to be assembled to form u. complete flooring.

In Figure 5 the block E is shown having all of its edges formed with tongues B.

in ii the bloclr C is formed having all or edges with grooves Q and by employing blocks es shown in Figures 5 and 6 they can be assembled to form a covering'for any size room.

in Figure '7 instead of using a floor covering in the form of a block, strips D are used which have their edges formed with tongues and grooves constructed in sulbstsuzitially, the some manner as cleeriy shown in Figures 1, 2 and 8 and these strips are adapted to be laid in cement driven together so as to iorm' e. sell-leveling flooring with their upperzcontacting edges placed under pressure so as-to compress the wood at the point oi contact to form a substantially invisible joint between the abutting strips.

in Figure 9 I show a pair of blocks or strips .33. and S with tongues and grooves R and B,

the groove S being formed of such it shape as to conform to the tongue, the depth of the groove being slightly deeper than the width or the tongue so that there is a clearance between said tongues and grooves in order to produce a selfleevling ieuture and in this construtcion the upper edges ut R and B are rounded in order to form a substantially V-shawd groove between the adjacent strips or blocks when assembled.-

It will also be noted that instead of forming a full v-sheped groove, the apex or the groove and the apex oi the tongue are rounded whereby vldcdwith oblique edges which extend all the why to the upper surface to form a small area of contact and the edges of these members are not rounded so that a sell-leveling feature is formed without any groove between the adjacent members.

In all of the various constructions shown a tongue is provided through whicha nail can pass ror nailing the flooring members to a sub-floor and in some cases I rely solely on the cement or mastic to hold the floor in position and in other cases I use nails alone and in some instances both the nails and cement are used for securing the floor in position on the sub-floor.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that I have provided a self-leveling flooring in which the members forming the floor are laid in cement, such as mastic, and driven together and by their particular construction of interlockin:

edges, the upper surface of the strips are brought into alignment with one another and at the some time the pressure 01' forcing the strips together compresses the contacting edges of the stripe at the junction with the faces of the strip so u to terms. substantially invisible joint between the various members constituting the flooring. While in the drawings I have shown a sectional floor formed with grooves of a particular shape, my invention consists broadly in interlocking a plurality oi floor members together by tongues and grooves so constructed that a selfleveling floor will be formed and the contacting edges will be compressed at the junction of the edges of the strip with the horizontal faces of the floor so as to form a substantially invisible joint between the various members, therefore I do not wish to limit myself to the formation of any particular construction of tongue and groove for interlocking these members together, as I am aware that the shape can be slightly changed and the same self-leveling teature obtained.

'Twhat I claim is:

arranged in contact with one another, said acctions being interlocked together by substantially v-shaped tongues and grooves formed on the edges of the abutting'sections of a width less than the thickness oi the sections and spaced from the upper and lower faces of said sections, a portion of the walls of said tongues and grooves being normally in contact with one another to produce a wedging action and to allow said leetions to rock on one another, the portions of the edges of said sections above the tongues and grooves being cut at an angleto the perpendicular to form a line contact between said sections at the junction of said angular portions with the horizontal faces of said sections and the portion of the edges of said sections below the tongues and grooves being cut away to form a space between the adjacent sections.

2. A self-leveling floor structure comprising a base of plastic cement, a sectional floor arranged on said base composed of a plurality 01' sections arranged in contact with one another, said sections being interlocked together by substantially v-shaped tongues and grooves formed on the edges of the abutting sections 0! a width is; than the thickness or the sections and spaced from the upper and lower faces of said sectionsa portion of the walls of said tongues and grooves being normally in contact with one another to produce a. wedging action and to allow said sections to rock on one another, the portions oi the edges 01 said sectionsv above the tongues and grooves being cut at an angle to the perpendicular to form a line contact between said sections at the junction of I 2,008,244 .said angular portions with the horizontal faces of said sections, and the portions of said sections below said tongues and grooves being cut away and rounded to form a clearance between the adjacent edges of said sections.

3. A floor structure comprising a base of adhesive material and a sectional floor arranged thereon, said sectional floor being formed of a plurality of sections provided with tongues and grooves of a width less than the thickness of the sections interlocked with one another, a portion of the walls of said tongues and grooves being normally in contact with one another to allow said sections to rock on one another, the edges of said sections above the tongues and grooves being cut away to reduce the area of contact between the adjacent edges of said sections to form a line contact at the junction of the edges with the horizontal faces of said sections and the portions of the edges below said tongues and grooves being cut away and rounded to leave a space between the adjacent edges of said sections to form a clearance to receive the adhesive material when said sections are assembled.

4. A floor structure comprising a sub-floor having a layer of plastic cement thereon, a sectional floor arranged thereon and secured together and to said base by said cement, said sectional flooring being composed of a plurality of sections having interlocking tongues and grooves of substantially V-shape in cross section of a width less than the thickness of the sections to form self -leveling sections, a portion of the walls of said tongues and grooves being normally in contact with one another to produce a wedging action between the sections, the portions of the edges of said sections above said tongues and grooves being reduced to form a line contact between said sections adjacent the upper faces of said sections to allow the material from which said sections are formed to be compressed at the line contact of said sections with one another when said sections are assembled and the lower edges of said sections being cut away below the tongues and grooves to allow said sections to rock on the tongues of said sections.

5. A floor structure comprising a sub-floor having a layer of plastic cement thereon, a sectional floor arranged thereon and secured together and to said base by said cement, said sectional flooring being composed of a plurality of sections having interlocking tongues and grooves of substantially V-shape in cross section of a width less than the thickness of the sections to form self-leveling sections, a portion of the walls of said tongues and grooves being normally in contact with one another to produce a wedging action between the sections, the portions of the edges of said sections above said tongues and grooves being reduced to form a line contact between said sections adjacent the upper faces of said sections to allow the material from which said sections are formed to be slightly compressed at the line contact of said sections with one another when said sections are assembled and to increase said compression when said sections expand, and the portions of said sections below said tongues and grooves being cut away to form a clearance between the adjacent edges of said sections allow the sections to rock on the tongues of the adjacent sections.

6. A self-leveling floor formed of a plurality of members arranged in engagement with one another, an adhesive base upon which said sections are arranged, said sections being interlocked together by tongues and grooves formed on the adjacent edges of said members of a width less than the thickness of the sections, a portion of the walls of said tongues and grooves being normally in contact with one another, said tongues and grooves being spaced from the upper and lower faces of said sections, the portions above the tongues and grooves being cut away to form a line contact at the junction of the cut away portions with the horizontal faces of said members to reduce the area of contact to allow the material from which said sections are formed to be compressed when said sections are assembled and the portions of said sections below the tongues and grooves being cut away to allow said sections to rock on one another.

7; A self-leveling floor structure comprising a.

base, a sectional floor arranged on said base composed of a plurality of sections arranged in contact with one another, said sections being interlocked together by tongues and grooves formed with inclined faces of a width less than. the thickness of the sections, a portion of the walls of said tongues and grooves being normally in contact with one another to produce a wedging action between the sections, the substantially vertical portion of the edges of said sections above the tongues and grooves being cut at an angle to the perpendicular to form a line contact between said sections, the upper edges being rounded to form a substantially V-shaped groove between the adjacent sections, a clearance being formed between the edges of said sections below said tongues and grooves to allow said sections to move in respect to one another.

8. A self-leveling floor formed of a plurality of members having interlocked tongues and grooves of substantially V-shape in cross section of a width less than the thickness of the members,

' a portion of the walls of said tongues and grooves being normally in contact with one another to produce a wedging action between the members, the substantial vertical portions of said members above the tongues and grooves being cut at an angle to the vertical to reduce the area of contact of said members above said tongues and grooves to a point adjacent the horizontal faces of said members, and the portions of said members below the tongues and grooves being cut away to allow said members to rock on the tongues when said members are assembled.

9. A self-leveling floor formed of a plurality of members having interlocked tongues and grooves of substantially V-shaped in cross section of a width less than the thickness of said members, a portion of the walls of said tongues and grooves being normally in contact with one another to produce a wedging action between said members and to allow said members to rock on one another, the portions of said members above the tongues and grooves being cut at an angle to the vertical portions to form a substantial V-shaped space between said members when asment' of said members, the vertical portions of said members below said tongue and groove being cut away to allow said members to rock in respect to one another.

KENNETH E. CROOKS. 

